Echoes of Persuasion
by Miss Meggie
Summary: Edited, Re-uploaded, Max and Zoe are back better than ever! Opposites attract with two best friends, but like meets like in matters of love when the girls butt in on each others behalf! How will it all pan out? Will each girl fall in love and see what they've been missing or will they learn of the other deceit?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I own nothing but the characters and the story if you are glad to see the girls back drop me a review!**

Maxine Taylor was typing away furiously at her desk. Stacks of notes and older scripts sat off to the side as she glanced at them from time to time for reference. Her long blond hair with its deep red and black highlights was tossed into a messy bun with two pencils to keep it out of her glassy blue eyes. Her white button down dress shirt sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. She tapped a black heel on her floor as she kept working. This was not where she wanted to be. Not on a day like this. In her mind, stormy days should be spent in bed, under the covers or on the couch while dressed in sweats and over sized t-shirt with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and the remote in the other as a pint of Ben and Jerry's waiting in the freezer.

When the alarm went off this morning, the USC alumni wanted nothing better than hit snooze and call in sick. But there were deadlines to be made and warranted getting out of bed and going to work. She'd even left her roommate behind in order to finish work she'd slacked on in time for the meeting. Thinking of Zoë brought Max from her trance. She hadn't even heard from her since the night before. She'd assumed that the petite brunette was still sleeping when she left the apartment.

Max wasn't your average creature of habit, Zoë on the other hand was. She had a routine; up by 7 to be in the office by 9, coffee in one hand and her work, hot off the press, in the other. That was Zoë Chandler. The UNLV graduate and low key socialite; daughter to Bellagio owner Colin Chandler; was quiet, low key and routine. She and Max were such opposites that it's what made them work as best friends. They balanced each other like Yin and Yang.

Max was the wild child. She had the wild hair, the tattoos, the belly button piercing, and the snazzy wardrobe. She may have looked wild and reckless and sometimes she was, but she was a softie on the inside. Her past had hurt her and she dealt with it by getting tattoos and having too much fun every now and again, but what made her friends with Zoë was the soft inner Max that was gentle and very loving once she let herself love and be loved. Zoë on the other hand was the lover and that was her problem. Her dark locks and green eyes made her a looker and her knockout body added to that. But she was the type of girl who gave her heart from the very beginning and always ended up getting hurt.

Her last relationship was a testament to that. She had met Cody Runnels when he was in WWE development and only really started getting to know him when he was called up the Raw main roster. Their relationship was strong in the beginning and both had jumped into it head first. Only, Zoë was the one who ended up hurt. Cody, like Max described as your average typical wrestler, couldn't keep it in his pants long enough to wait for Zoë when he got home. She caught him and that was it, they were broken up. That was three months ago and it had been a war of words between the two since.

As Max continued to type, her phone startled her. She looked at the ID on the iPhone and sighed. 'Zoë' "Where the hell have you been? You sure as hell didn't beat me to the office." Max scolded.

"Obviously, I'm running late and just pulling in. Will you print out my drafts so I have them for the meeting?" Zoë asked.

"Yeah." Max never covered for Zoë and hung up on her. If any of this drama was because of Cody Runnels, she was going to personally kill him. Max could sense in the tone of Zoë's voice she had been upset. Possibly even crying.

After finishing her drafts, the blonde rushed to her friend's office to print up the necessary drafts for the meeting taking place in less than five minutes.

Zoë slipped out of her Lexus in her tight dark washed skinny jeans and lilac tunic style turtle neck with her heels clicking across the cement of the parking structure. Her dark chocolate colored hair was pulled into a ponytail and her big sunglasses covered her red swollen eyes. A slight smile was brought to her face as she thought about Max. She was the best friend anyone could ask for.

Just as Max was walking into the hallway heading towards the meeting, Zoe exited the elevator and met up with her best friend.

"Here's your stuff. And some coffee." Max handed her the requested things. "And gimme the sunglasses. Now!" Max stuck her hand out.

"Ugh...don't be a bitch..." Zoë said without venom.

"Come on put your heart into it Zo...that was kinda of sad and disappointing." Max laughed as she was handed the glasses.

"I don't feel up to playful banter! And before you ask, yes Cody and I got into it again last night. He made some comment on my Twitter and so of course I retaliated and he wound up calling me in order to dish out his bullshit…at 1 am."

"I told you Twitter was a bad thing. Did you tell Randy yet? I'm sure he could put a leash on his lackey for you." Max snarled a bit at the mention of him.

"Ladies, were you planning on joining us?" Vince McMahon asked as he saw his two best writers simply hanging out in the hallway.

"Coming." The two beamed falsely. Max was Vince's best heel writer and Zoë, one again the complete opposite, was his best face writer.

"Randy is too busy to talk since you gave him the title..." Zoe said.

"My bad." Max loathed Randy.

Zoë swore it was because the two of them were so much a like. Hard exterior and soft core, but Max would hear nothing of it. She hated the man and always said it was because the man knew he was gorgeous and thought he was God's gift to women. "Yeah and if he were just a tad uglier, you'd let him in between your sheets, huh, Max?"

"Hell no." Max cringed. "Who the hell knows where he's been?!"

"LADIES!" Vince called again.

"Ooops..." The two women sheepishly walked into the conference room and took a seat. They looked around the table and saw the entire Creative board there with Stephanie, Hunter and Vince.

"Now, let's get this meeting going here." Vince started. "Zoë, Max what's Creative got for me? We'll start with Raw."

"Um I was thinking a four way match between John, Jeff, Paul, and Randy. And we ban Teddy and Cody from the building but of course they appear." Zoe spoke first.

Vince shook his head. "Not good enough. Re-work that. Jeff's not sure if he's leaving and we can't ban Rhodes and DiBiase from the building. Max, gimme something here."

"As far the WWE Championship goes, I've edited drafts for Randy to retain the strap. Rhodes and DiBiase will have their hands tied with the DX reunion; Big Show is jumping brands with Jericho each week, while Carlito's turn is going over well. Swagger and Bourne are getting things to heat up with MVP in the mix." Max read off her notes. "Those are your major male heels right now mixed up with the faces. The Miz will be reinstated this week as GM and I have no control on the Divas end. That's all up to Kevin Dunn and his twisted mind."

"I like it. Get me the drafts before Monday with the additions that I'll be emailing you. The rest of you are dismissed. I need to see the two of you in my office." Vince said directing his gaze to his top two writers.

"What did we do?" Zoë whispered to Max.

"I don't know." Max cowered. She straightened her pencil skirt and followed Stephanie into her father's office with Zoë behind her.

"Ladies have a seat." Vince gestured. The two women sat in the two chairs in front of the huge custom built oak desk. Stephanie and Hunter were standing off to the side. "I'm making the two of you an offer." The girls waited for more information. "You see, the Board is looking to step it up a bit. And I know that you two are my girls that I can go to for the job. Stephanie and I were thinking of having a bit more of the story lines carry over into the house shows and vice versa. Talent will still be required to work their matches before hand and any changes would come in the form of in ring shoots, however, we're looking for the two of you to take notes on the matches and reactions to better the scripts on Raw. I already have two SmackDown consultants ready to go for the blue brand." The girls nodded.

"So what my dad is saying is that we'd like the two of you to travel with Raw and be there for every show. Day in, day out. Keep us posted here in Stamford and report during the regular meetings via Skype. Monday's we'll be on hand if needed for Raw and same goes for Smackdown on Tuesdays. But we trust you with this and will only be on hand for dire needs. This is your chance to step it up. Consider it a promotion."

"So, that would mean all expenses paid correct?" Max asked.

"Exactly. You'll each receive a black American Express card. You'd be responsible for booking your rooms, flights and vehicles. But just charge them to the corporate card. Meals are your responsibility." Vince added handing the girls envelopes with their cards, and initial flight and car information. "You leave tomorrow morning. First thing. Make sure your passports are dusted off." Vince added. "You'll fly out with Paul."

"Yes sir...Now Steph how lightly do we need to pack. I'm only asking because packing isn't exactly Max's strong suit?" Zoe poked fun at Max's expense.

"But that's why I have you to pack for me!" Max smiled.

"Friday, Saturday and Sundays it's either white or black corporate logo polos with khaki pants and office attire for Mondays. Pay per views office attire as well." Stephanie answered with a smile. The two women were excused from the meeting and headed to their offices. The first the Max did was call John Cena and tell him the good news.

"Maxamillion what's up baby?" John said answering his cell seeing that it was obviously her calling.

"Hey, guess what?"

"You've decided to marry me and have my children?"

"Hell hasn't frozen over and I told you before I did that, you'd have to be tested for every venereal disease possible. Who knew what the fiancée of yours was carrying around."

"Ha ha, NOT funny."

"I thought it was."

"So what's up?" John laughed.

"The world's best heel writer is coming on the road with Raw." Max smiled on her end.

"No shit?" John was excited.

"I swear. Pick me up tomorrow lover?" Max said sweetly.

"No problem. You can count it. Just text me the info." John and Max ended their call. She looked at her coffee mug and frowned. "Must have coffee." She sighed and left her office for the break room.

Meanwhile in her office, Zoë slipped off her heels as she called Randy. "Pick up dude...'

"Hey pretty girl,,,"

"Hey spongebob squarehead... I have news."

"Hey now woman!"

"I can't help it you have an unusually square-ish head. Look at it this way you don't have Mobs...like Paul.."

"Anyways... news you had some?"

"Oh yeah right. I'm traveling with Raw to better the house shows..."

"What!"

"You got yourself a new travelin' buddy Randal Keith..."

"If I say Yay will you tell on me?"

"Only if you give Cody my room key..."

"Ok then... Yay!"

Zoë laughed "Fruity little jack ass.."

"That was uncalled for..."

"Poor baby." She playfully pouted. "Pick me up at the airport, kay."

"Kay, love you have fun packing and be safe bye..."

"It'll be a real blast...love you too bye..." She picked up her cup and headed to her best friend's office. She saw that she was on the phone so she waited a second before walking in.

"You are going to help me pack right?" Max asked.

"Yes. Of course." Zoë laughed.

"Meet you at home after work?" Max added. "Oh you want coffee?"

Zoë held up her still half full Starbuck's cup. "Meet you at home."

_**At the end of the day…**_

"'Max all that won't fit in that little carry on..." Zoë pointed to a large pile of clothes and a tiny rolling suit case. She sipped her cranberry juice eyeing her best friend.

"HELP!" Max whined.

"Take a bigger bag." Zoë laughed. "I have an extra one. You'll just have to split it up. Take the bigger one for clothes and shoes, then take the smaller one for toiletries and what not. Don't forget you'll have your lap top bag too. And purse."

"Well, crap! How'd you pack all your stuff?" Max whined.

"Easy. I don't dress like you. It's too much work." Zoe scoffed.

"Oh come on, it's only jeans, Affliction shirts, club wear and shoes!"

"Says the one who gets the free Affliction and Sinful stuff every time it comes out. You've got the whole line! You don't honestly expect to take it all do you? And shoes, look at all those things. You don't need 'em all." Zoë laughed.

"Yes I do!" Max argued.

"Look, take your two pairs of Jacks, your two pairs of Reef sandals and like three or four pairs of heels that you know will go with almost everything." Zoë suggested.

"Okay, so how about I take my Jacks, sandals, and my black and nude Loubs and hmmm, red or hot pink Jessica's?" Max asked holding up two pairs of Jessica Simpson heels.

"Red. I can barrow them." Zoë answered.

"Are you taking any flats?" Max asked as she tossed all the shoes into the smaller suit case. "Have you seen my python Loubs?"

"The white ones? Shit ! Please tell me I didn't leave them at Cody's... yeah my black patent leather ones..."

"No not the white ones, those are yours. The real python print ones. Didn't you barrow them last week?"

"Uh, yeah. Hold on. They're back in my closet." Zoë headed to her room to get them. "Here."

"Thanks." Max tossed them in the suit case and zipped it up.

"I did leave my white python ones at Cody's." Zoë huffed.

"I liked those shoes damn it! Do I have to call him?"

"If you want your shoes you do."

"Can't I just buy new ones?" Zoë was the one now whining.

"You could. Or you could get the smirky bastard friend of yours to buy them."

"Be nice to my smirky bastard..."

"This trip would be fun if I didn't have to actually share it with him."

Zoë called Randy. "Hey you smirky bastard, get my shoes back from Cody please with sugar on top..."

"Ugh, which ones?"

"The only ones I left there. They're white and snake skin."

"Alright."

"Thanks bye!"

"Kay that's taken care of. Hey, when we're in Vegas we need to go shopping at La Perla."

"Oh yes. Totally!" Max smiled.

"Crap now we'll need empty bag for the stuff we bring back..."

"We could always buy one there." Max reasoned.


	2. Chapter 2

The girls flight landed on time but unfortunately neither John nor Randy showed up on time.

"Damn it. Where the hell are they?" Max huffed. She was up early, had a horrible flight and now had to face Randy Orton. "I still don't get how the two of you are friends Zo."

"We just are. It's weird but perfect. His ass is never on time though." She sat next to Max on the white curb, both using their luggage as chairs.

"This is why he's John's yin to his yang. I hate that they're best friends." Max complained.

"There they are." Zoë noticed them pulling up to grab the girls. She waved them down. "Rand man bout time my friend... Hi John nice to see you...Rand you remember Max right?"

"Prick." Max snorted to Randy.

"Whore." Randy added.

"Alright nice to see you two still get along. Max, let's get your bags." John said trying to separate the two.

"Nice to see you Zoë." He said as he steered his best girl friend away from his best guy friend so they didn't kill each other.

"Good luck with her John she's kinda cranky..." Zoë smiled as Max stuck out her tongue at her. "I love you too." Zoë giggled. "Gotta love her in the mornings. Now, where's my hug?"

Randy wrapped her in a hug and lifted her off her feet. She sat her back down... "Your shoes Milady..."

"Aw you do love me." Zoe pressed her lips to his cheek

"Yes but you will fully pay for the looks I got carrying those out of Cody's place." He handed her the shoes. "You might wanna dip them in bleach too. No tellin' what skank he let wear them. They were like half way under his bed."

"Randy you ruined my shoe buzz." Zoë whined.

"Sorry."

"Alright, bags are loaded. Shall we?" John closed the trunk and noticed a group of possible fans coming their way from under the brim of his hat. "Quickly." He nodded towards the group still a bit away.

"SHOT GUN!" The girls shouted and turned to the front of the car. Zoë beat Max.

"You shouldn't have done that." John laughed as he walek to the driver side.

"Why?" Max asked.

"Because it's my rental. Now you're stuck in the back with Orton." He snickered getting in the car.. The color drained from Max's face as John held open the door for her. She groaned as she climbed into the back seat and Randy got in on the other side. He scooted in closer to her and reached behind them to rest his arm on the back of the seat as he snuggled into the corner between the seat and the car.

"Come any closer and I'll punch you so hard in the face, you'll have one less thing to be cocky about." Max warned. "Zoë, trade me please!"

"Nope perfectly happy here thanks..." Grinned from the front seat via the visor mirror.

"You're a bitch." Max sighed.

"Come on Max, you know you want a piece of me." Randy smirked.

"You cocky smirky bastard. It's because of comments like that why I want you like the plague asshole..."

"Nice to each other aren't they..." Zoë said to John.

"Max, you act as if you want Orton by all the negative talk." John shot at her.

Max reached over the driver's seat and grabbed a good hold of John's ear. "Say something like that again, and you'll be picking your face up off the pavement."

"Zo, just switch with me babe..." Randy said calmly.

"Fine." She started climbing back as Randy climbed forward. Max caught John staring at her ass.

"Eyes on the road and off the Zo." She whispered to him. Silence engrossed the rest of the car ride and not long after the seat switch, John pulled into the hotel. As they got out of the car Cody walked by. "You look pretty 'Killer' for just having gotten of a plane. Don't worry." John said winking at Zoë she blushed slightly. They exited the car and John had to hold Max back from launching herself at her best friend's ex.

"Max, don't please..." Zoë pleaded

"Ugh, fine. But he crosses my path again, I will fuck him up." Zoë grunted as John let her go. The foursome headed into the hotel and the girls got checked into their suite. John and Max headed into her room in the suite while Randy and Zoë headed into hers.

"Why do you get a suite?" John asked.

"Um, hello, corporate!" Max joked laughing.

"Good point." John agreed. He watched as she unpacked. He knew he was going to love having his best girlfriend on the road with him. As she placed things on hangers, they struck up random conversations.

Meanwhile, Randy was helping Zoë get settled too. "So, Zo..."

"So Rand... you can be friends with Cody I could care less just keep him outta my path..."

"Fine with me. But now that you're here, I don't need the Codeman or Teddy." Randy kicked back on her bed, his hands now resting behind his head, feet crossed at the ankles.

"Pssh please... I am not helping you get ass..." Zoe turned and leaned against the dresser.

"I'm not looking for ass. I'm just glad you're here. I missed my Dodo Bird."

"Dodo bird is not heard by anyone ever... got me?" She raised her finger at him punishingly.

"I swear!" Randy raised his hands in his defense. There was a bit of silence that passed as Randy check his texts and Zoe set up her lap top. "So, is Max seeing anyone?"

"God Randy! You couldn't have waited ten minutes could you? Jesus, do you have single girl radar built into your pecker." Zoe was shaking her head and rubbing her eyes.

"Real lady like Zo."

"Well God!" Zoe pushed herself away from the lap top.

"What she's hot..." Randy shrugged with a cocky grin.

"And can't stand you..." Zoe pointed out.

"But she's hot. She's a real bitch, but the girl can make me swoon." Randy placed a hand over his heart and playfully collapsed again on the bed.

"Randy Orton did not just say swoon." Zoe giggled with a huge eye roll.

"It's the tattoos and those eyes. Ugh those eyes." Randy sat up sighing.

"Cut the teenage lover crap!" Zoe tossed a couch accent pillow at him.

"But she's so pretty..." Randy kept up the act.

"Seriously you are creeping me out stop..." Zoe was turning serious now. She'd had it with his joking bullshit.

"Hook me up with her?"

"Again, she loathes you!" Zoe shook her head. "She wouldn't in a million years."

"Love loathes same thing..." Randy laughed.

"Hardly. Look, you may not know it or realize it, but you scare the shit out of her. She's had a rough past and that's why she is the way she is. You're not her type anyways. You're too cocky. You're arrogant. You're too good looking and you know it. She's a one night stander, and I know you. You hide behind loads of women because you're scared to be in love after how you were burned the last time." Zoe folded her arms across her chest and shrugged.

"Need we bring her up..." Randy picked at his cuticles.

"It explains a lot." Zoe argued.

"Well I don't want to talk about it Zo..." Randy froze up. The joking stopped and his eyes grew dark at his seriousness.

"Fine we needn't speak of him either..." Zoe countered.

"Perfect." Randy nodded in agreement.

"Fine scoot the hell over, I'm tired." Zoe moved from the couch and onto her bed, next to Randy.

"Nap then party?" He said scooting over.

"I guess I can unleash my wild side a bit." Zoe yawned.

"I like your wild side I shall name her..." Randy tapped his finger on his chin.

"Name it what?" Zoe asked.

"Layla." Randy concluded.

Zoë rolled her eyes. "You've put thought into it."

"I have." Randy smirked.

"Weirdo." Zoe rolled to her side to face him as Randy put his arms around her and snuggled in.

Back in Max's half, John was trying to convince her to go out with him tonight. "No. If Orton's going, I'm not!" She stressed.

"Scaredy cat..." John teased as they laid across Max's bed.

"Am not." She argued. "I just can't stand the asshole. And frankly I'd rather not ruin a nice night."

"Then what new tattoo are you hiding now? Or is it a piercing?" John poked at her sides.

"I don't have a new one! Even if I did, I wouldn't be hiding it. I don't hide those things from you. I just don't want to go and hang out with someone who is a major buzz kill!" Max explained, sitting up against the headboard.

"He's not a buzz kill. You have the same best friend so you have to have something in common." John folded his arms across his chest. "Come on I'd like to hang with Zoë she's cool and she won't go without you..."

John started to pout. "Don't do it. Don't do the pouty face. I can't handle that. And besides, you'd be surprised. She loves him to death. He wouldn't have to beg, he'd just ask and she'd say okay."

"Ok then go... it won't kill you..." John began smirking. He knew that he was breaking her down.

"Wait, what's with your sudden peak interest in Zoe anyway? What happened to, 'I want to play the field for a bit. I've been tied down for 12 years'." Max mocked John in a deep voice.

"She's cute and she looks like she could use a good time right now." John knew the situation between Zoe and Cody and how it didn't end very well.

"She's not a one night kind of girl John..." Max saw this going no where good in her mind.

"She's pretty, I can't help but like to look at pretty things." John shrugged. "And since when do you care who I date fuck or befriend?"

"Since she's my best friend. You both are and I'd hate to see you end up hurt. Both of you. Rhodes did a number on her. She's not ready to get back in the saddle yet. Trust me. That wound is too fresh. It's only been a couple months." Max tried to defend her stance.

"So flirting and partying with the girl is out of the question?" John pressed. He wasn't going to back down.

"I never said that. But don't hurt her!" Max sighed. "Don't set her up to fall harder than she needs to. You're a heart breaker John Cena. You just don't realize it."

"I don't set out to hurt people Max...Jesus...its just drinks and dinner." John sighed himself, standing from the bed.

"Okay Cena, you get to scram. Unless you've already seen Max naked. Cuz she just strips down wherever she is." Zoe stepped in from her side of the suite, teasing Max lovingly. "I on the other hand change in the bathroom like a normal person and Randy is using mine, the jack ass."

"He's seen a majority of everything. Remember that one night he was in town for a meeting and we went to that bar around the corner from the apartment and I came home trashed, then decided to strip down in the our living room on my way to the bathroom."

"Oh that night you were a real winner. I was afraid you'd piss on the carpet." Zoe and John both laughed at the memory.

"Hey I win some I lose some." Max shrugged as she shoved John out of her room and collected her things to start getting ready for dinner and some dancing. If Zoe was going, then she'd be going. Regardless if her worst enemy would be joining them.


End file.
